


the show must go on

by retts



Series: that’s life, innit? [3]
Category: Men's Football RPF
Genre: Eric is the best boyfriend, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Snow, injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-25
Updated: 2019-01-25
Packaged: 2019-10-16 00:18:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17539076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/retts/pseuds/retts
Summary: I’ve got a present for you. Eric brings his hands close to his face, giving him a better view of the snowball.It’s really cool.





	the show must go on

**Author's Note:**

> yep that was the fucking cutest thing i’ve ever seen
> 
> also i forgot the other injured player oops but the empty rehab room suits dele’s mood soooo *shifty eyes*

Grunting, Dele sits back down and rests his leg on the elevation bar, rotating his foot to distract himself from the pain and the simmering frustration he feels at the entire situation. All he wants is for his body to cooperate and stop failing him. He curls his fingers into a fist and rests it on his thigh. March seems forever away. Broken down he has six weeks or more, which seems even longer. Six weeks of rehabilitation, of watching matches from the bench, unable to lead the team to victory and help when they’re losing.

Dele hears the others laughing and exclaiming about the snow and cold weather as they head outside, still in high spirits despite the latest setback. Dele knows that’s a good thing but it only highlights his own sorry state - stuck inside doing stretches and minding his injury with ice - and sends a bitter pang through him. 

Annoyed at himself, at everyone, even at the bloody snow for causing this happy commotion, Dele grabs his water bottle and pulls the top open with his teeth, then takes a long pull. He’s alone in the room, the physio having gone to have a chat with one of the coaches about his rehabilitation plan. Dele massages his knee and reaches for his phone with the other hand, hoping to find a distraction on YouTube.

It works, finding a Fortnite playthrough that’s decent, and Dele is absorbed enough that he nearlys jump out of his skin when he hears someone banging on the glass window behind him. He glances to the side and immediately rolls his eyes when he sees Eric pressed agains the glass, smiling at him.

‘Traitor,’ says Dele, emphasising the pronunciation so Eric will be able to read his lips and know his ire. Eric was one of the first people to go outside, abandoning Dele for the snow. ‘Go away, I can’t bear to look at you right now.’

Eric raises his right fist, smile widening smugly, and Dele squints to see what -

‘Oh, for God’s sake,’ says Dele out loud in exasperation, spotting the snowball in Eric’s hand, ‘are you a fucking child?’ He gestures rudely at Eric, realises he’s still holding his phone, and opens his camera app in one quick swipe. For a moment, Dele debates with himself whether he ought to do a live video but then dismisses the thought; this will do for blackmail material should he need it. Dele adjusts his hips so he can take a video of Eric without injuring himself further. Dele slumps back on the seat and purses his lips, angling his phone to capture the delight on Eric’s face as he plasters himself to the window, the sky grey behind him, the snow falling gently. It’s a great view, if Dele’s being honest.

Eric makes a motion to the side and mouths _Come out, Dele_.

Dele shakes his head. ‘No.’

 _I’ve got a present for you_. Eric brings his hands close to his face, giving him a better view of the snowball. _It’s really cool._

It’s a testament to how much Dele actually puts up with Eric that he can lip-read all that even with the beard.

‘That’s the worst pun you’ve ever made, mate,’ says Dele, zooming in on Eric’s pink face. ‘You’re lucky I’m in here and can’t smash your face into the snow.’

Eric’s eyebrows knit together. _What?_

Dele lips quirk higher. ‘I said you’re an idiot!’

A hail of ice suddenly sprays over Eric, causing him to duck down with a flinch. Dele laughs at the look on Eric’s face. The best thing is he got it on video. ‘Brilliant,’ he mutters, teeth digging into his grin.

Eric glances back at him and makes a sad face, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder in the universal language of gotta go. Dele impatiently waves him away, though he feels a slight twinge in the chest area when Eric turns his back on him and joins the team out on the grounds. Dele stops recording and opens the file, letting it play from the beginning. He wants to be out there with everyone else, with Eric, and it leaves a bitter taste in his mouth that he’s not. He had to watch Eric struggle to recover from his appendectomy last month, waiting for the time they could step out on the grass together again. Now he’s the one left in here, watching Eric’s retreating back grow smaller and smaller.

Dele rewinds the video once more, pauses on Eric beckoning him outside. _Come out, Dele_ , he’d said. Turning back for him. Waiting for him.

Dele’s smiling before he knows it. Again. He’d been smiling even as he took the video, smiling as he rewatched it. This might be Eric’s greatest power yet. No one else manages to consistently draw Dele out of bad moods like Eric does.

The physio comes back with his clipboard. ‘Alright, Dele? You ready to start again?’

Dele puts his phone away and gets up, carefully stretching his leg until the pain hits and then recedes. ‘Sure,’ he says, grim determination settling on his shoulders like a cloak. Time to put his head down and get to work.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> feedback is food for my soul, much like deledier is these days <3


End file.
